Refrigerator and boxcar door construction



April 13, 11937. SCRIVANICH 2,@77,020

' REFRIGERATOR AND BOXCAR DOOQ CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 10, 1936 s Sheets-SHeet 1 L. SCRIVANICH REFRIGERATOR AND BOXCAR DOOR CONSTRUCTION -April 13, 1937.

Filed Aug. 10, 1956 5 Sheets -Sheet 2 April 1937. L. SCRIIVANICH 2,077,020

REFRIGERATOR AND BOXCAR DOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 10, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Lu]? Saw-imam z'ch Patented Apr. 13, 1937 UNITED STATES REFRIGERATOR AND BOXGAR DOOR CON- STRUCTION Luke Scrivanich, Lyndhurst, N. J. I Application August 10, 1936, Serial No. 95,241

8 Claims.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in refrigerator and box car door constructions.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a door for refrigerator or box cars of the type that sets into a door opening in the side wall of the car and is adapted to be bodily displaced relative to the opening and slid longitudinally of the car laterally of the opening for exposing the latter. In car door constructions of such character, it is known to mount the sliding door on guide tracks with link devices permitting pivotal movements of the door into and out of a door opening, but in such devices, no provision is made for holding the door against movement relative to the car when the same is in a partially opened or closed condition.

It is therefore a further specific objectof the invention to provide a latch device for holding d the door of a refrigerator or box car in a locked position and restrained by movement when the door is shifted to an open position to prevent injury to the door and car construction and also injury to operators or laborers working about the car. v

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel form of look device for holding the door in closed position within the door opening. It is a further object of the invention toprovide a novel form of skidplate for association with the sill of the door opening to facilitate loading and unloading of the refrigerator or box car.

With the above and other objects in view that will become apparent as the nature of the inven tion is better understood, the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In the drawings:--

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a refrigerator or box car with the improved door construction with the door illustrated in its open position and slid laterally of the door open- 111g;

Figure 2 is a vertical detail sectional view through the car wall and door with the latter in closed position and further illustrated by dotted lines in its shifted position in a plane parallel with the side wallof the car;

ing the roller mountingfor the-sliding channel section of the lower guide track and the latch device for holding the channel member and door 55 carried 'therebyag'ainst movement;

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view Figure 4 is a detail sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3, showing the latch device carried by the sliding channel of the lower guide track engaged with a stationary keeper rail on the side wall of the car;

Figure 5 is a detail sectional View taken on line 55 of Figure 3; v

Figure 6 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the keeper rail for the latch device showing the spaced openings or recesses therein to receive the latchdevice;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the door in closed position and the lock device for the door;

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view taken on line 88 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a detail sectional view taken on line 9--9 of Figure 8; r

I Figure 10 is a detail sectional view taken on line IB-Nl of Figure 1, showing the covered sockets in the door sill for attaching one end of a skid plate for loading and unloading;

Figure 11 is a detail sectional view taken on line |IH of Figure 10; and

'Figure 12 is a detail sectional view showing the skid plate anchored at one end in the door sill .with the other end thereof engaged with a loading platform or pier. 1

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawings, the reference character l5 designates in general a refrigerator or box car having a side door opening it therein that is adapted to be closed by a door I! that is illustrated in Figure 1 in an open position laterally of the door opening I6 and in a plane offset from and parallel to the adjacent side wall of the car I 5. The door I! is guided in its movement by means of upper and lower guide rails or tracks is and I9 respectively.

As shown more clearly in Figure 2, the door opening [6 is bordered by inclined walls 20 including the sill 2i and an abutment wall 22, the door I! being of double walled construction with the edges thereof inclined as at 23 for engaging the inclined Walls 20 and sill 2|, the inner side of the door I! being marginally reduced or of stepped formation to provide the shoulder 24 facing theshoulder 22 and the extension 25 lying within the inner side of the door opening IS. A weather strip or sealing gasket 26 is cooperatively carried by the shoulders 22 and 24 to provide an effective seal for the door.

The mounting of the door I! upon the upper and lower guide tracks [8 and I9 is shown more clearly in Figures 1 and 2 and includes a pair of vertical bars 21 at the outer side of the door I! respectively adjacent opposite vertical side edges and an intermediate bar 28, the bars 2! and 28 being journalled adjacent their upper and lower ends in bearing straps 29 carried by the door IT. The upper guide rail l'l comprises a longitudinally extending channel member 36 anchored as at 3| to the side wall of the car 15 above the door opening 16, the upper ends of the bars 21 and 28 each having a link 32 pivoted at one end thereto while the other end of the'1ink-32icarries anrup standing pin 33 upon which a horizontal roller 34 is journalled, the pin and roller extending into the channel guide as shown in Figure 2.

The lower guide rail l9 'and the-mounting= therefor includes angle brackets 35 secured. to: the side wall of the car l5 below the door open: ing, the angle brackets 35 having "thevertical legof a T-iron 36 anchored thereto with the-cross? head of the T-iron horizontally disposed as shown in Figures 2 and 4. A channel member 31- 'carrying spaced bearing. rollers 38 internally thereof is mounted upon the T-ironrail 36, the side legs of .the channel member-31 havingz interlocking engagement with the T-rail with the bearing. rollers 38 riding upon the upper horizontal cross head of the T-rail as illustrated. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, bearing blocks 39 for association with the lower ends of the bars 2'! .and 28. are anchored tovthe upper closed side of the channel member 31, a link-4ll being pivoted at one endto each of the bars 21 and 28, the other end of the link 40 carrying a dependinglpin 4| received .in the bearing block .39 withthe adjacent end of the link spaced from the bearing block bythe collar surrounding the pin..4l andv resting upon the upper end of the bearing block as shown in Figure 3.

The door H is carried by and. movable with channels-members 3'! and when the doorlis in open position, ,means is associated therewith for holding the same against accidental movement and as shown more clearly in Figures 1 to, 6, an angle bar 431s anchored to the side wall of the car l5 directly above the channel member I! and the under side of the angle bar 43 is longitudinally grooved asat 44 and into which.

groove-an upstanding rib 45 carried by the member 31 extends for further guiding .the channel. member 31 in its sliding movements onthe T= rail 36. Thebottom wall of the groove 44in the angle member 43 is provided with a plurality of spaced'sockets 46, the socketed. angle member 43. constituting a keeper for a latch device carried by the channel 'member Sl upon which the door I! is supported. The latch device includes a lever 41 pivoted as at 48in the side walls of a. slotted opening 49 in the topwall of the channel member 31, the lower end of the leverw4l that extends into the channel member 31 carrying an upstanding pinv 5Il1that is pivotedthereto as at'5l,' the pin 56 projecting upwardly through an opening in the guide rib 45 to enter a selected socket 46 in the lower side of the angle member 43; An operating handle 52 for .the lever. 41. is carried by the upper end of the lever'above the channel member 31 as shown in Figuresl'and 3' and said lever 41 is tensioned by the spring 53 for normally holding the latch pin at its limit' of upward movement and engaged 'ina socket 46.

Means is provided fore-moving the'door'll into and-out of the door opening 16 and as shown in Figures 1 and '7 to 9, the intermediate bar 28- carried by the door I! has an'operatinghandle 54 of channel formation to be receivedon the bar 28 and-pivoted thereto asatSFadjacent-the" lower end of said bar, the lower end of the handle 54 being offset to provide a hand grip 56. When the door I! is to be moved into and out of the door opening IS, the handle 54 is moved on its pivotal connection 55 to a substantially horizontal position and the same is then moved in the desired horizontal direction for rotating the several bars 21 and 28 to cause the door I! to swing on the link connections 32 and 40. When thevdoor is in closed positiongi the ghan'dr grip 56 is moved into engagement with a keeper comprising a base plate 51 secured to the side wall of the-car 15 adjacent a side of the door opening l6-as showniin Figure-1,:the base plate 51 having an-zan'gle member 58 secured thereto and a coacting lever 59 providing a keeper opening 69 for -the reception of the hand grip 56 upon the handle 54,: Thesanglea member 58 and lever 59 are provided with registering openings 6| as shownir'r Figure 9 for the reception of the shackle of a. padlock or similar device-ion retaining-the lever 59 against movements relative. tothe angle:

member 58 with the hand grip 56 retained in the pocket 60 -and.thedoore l'|:1ockedagainst opening movement..

As shown inhFigures 10to 12, the doorsill 2| is constructed for-the mounting of one end of a.

loading andflunloadinglskid. plate 62 having the outer end thereof restingupon a. loading platform orpier 63.

four in number, with (a cover platel65 extending over one half of each end of a recess 64 with a sliding block 66 in. each.recess adapted to be moved as shown in Figure 11 to close the upper endolof the recess whenuthesame is outof use.

The skid plate 62 is of a width approximately three-fifths of thewidth ofvthe door opening I6 and said. skid plate carriesa. pair of blocks 61 at its underside adjacent one end. to rest upon the sill 2| withva depending rib '66 on each. block.

receivable in a recess 64 as shown in Figure 12. The skid plate 621may be shifted laterally of the door opening l6'.for the mounting oftheribs 68 in recesses 64 in the event that the door opening i6 is not directly aligned with the loading platform or pier 63."

From the above detailed description of the invention, it is believed that theconstruction and operationthereof will at once be apparent,. it

being noted that the mechanism vshown in detail'in Figures 3 to 5 securely holdsvthe doorv ll' against movement when in open position,. the latch pin 591ibeing, selectively receivable in the socket 46"whereby the door may be anchored in different positions relative to the dooropening i6. With the door in open position, the same is restrained from movement should the car suddenly move and it has frequently occurred by the use of doors of the general type disclosed herein that trainmen have been seriously injured by the sudden closing of, the door.

While there is herein shown. and described the.

arranged whereby the door mayswing outwardly,

of the door opening and slide along the track's,

The doorsill 2! is provided with a series of aligned recesses 64, preferablywhen in open position including a socketed bar carried by the car, and a tensioned latch pin movable with the door for selective reception in bar sockets.

3. In a refrigerator and box car door construction, a car body having a door opening, a door for closing said opening, longitudinally extending upper and lower guide tracks, means connecting the door to the tracks and constructed and arranged whereby the door may swing outwardly of the door opening and slide along the tracks, means for holding the door against movement when in open position including a socketed bar carried by the car, a channel member movable over the lower track and supporting the door, and a tensioned latch pin carried by the channel member for selective reception in the bar sockets.

l. In a refrigerator and box car door construction, a car body having a door opening, a door for closing said opening, longitudinally extending upper and lower guide tracks, means connecting the door to the tracks andconstructed and arranged whereby the door may swing outwardly of the door opening and slide along the tracks, means for holding the door against movement when in open position including a sockete-d bar carried by the car, a channel member movable over the lower track and supporting the door, the upper Wall of the channel member having an opening therein, a lever pivotally mounted in the side walls of the opening, an upstanding latch pin carried by the lower end of the lever, tension means associated with the lever for moving the latch pin upwardly into asocket in the bar and an operating handle carried. by the upper end of the lever abovethe channel member.

5. In a refrigerator and box car door construction, a car body having a door opening, a door for closing said opening, longitudinally extending upper and lower guide tracks, means connecting the door to the tracks and constructed and arranged whereby the door may swing outwardly of the door opening and slide along the tracks, means for holding the door against movement when in open position including a socketed bar carried by the car, a channel member movable over the lower track and supporting the door, the upper wall of the channel member having an opening therein, a lever pivotally mounted in the side walls of the opening, an upstanding latch pin carried by the lower end, of the lever,

tension means associated with the lever for moving the latch pin upwardly into a socket in the bar and an operating handle carried by the upper end of the lever above the channel member and anti-friction wheels.

6. In a refrigerator and box car door construction, a car body having a door opening, a door for closing said opening, longitudinally extending upper and lower guide tracks, means connecting the door to the tracks and constructed and arranged whereby the door may swing outwardly of the door opening and slide along the tracks, means for holding the'door against movement when in open position including a socketed bar carried by the car, a channel member movable over the lower track and supporting the door, a tensioned latch pin carried by the channel member for selective reception in the bar sockets, the connecting means between the door and tracks including vertical bars journalled at their ends on the outer side of the door, movable bearings on the tracks, link connections between the ends of the bars and the bearings, a lever attached to one bar for simultaneous operation of the door bars for moving the door on the links to open and close the same, and a keeper on the car body for the lever for locking the door in closed position.

7. In a refrigerator and box car door construction, a car body having a door opening, a door for closing said opening, longitudinally extending upper and lower guide tracks, means connecting the door to the tracks and constructed and arranged whereby the door may swing outwardly of the door opening and slide along the tracks, means for holding the door against movement when in open position, the sill of the door opening having a series of alined recesses therein, slidable closures for the recesses and a skid plate for loading and unloading the car having blocks on the lower side adjacent one end for selective reception in the recesses, said skid plate being of less width than the door opening whereby the same may be laterally shifted relative to the opening for the support of the outer end thereof on a loading platform or the like.

8. In a refrigerator and box car door construction, a car body having a door opening, a door for closing said opening, longitudinally extending upper and lower guide tracks, means connecting the door to the tracks and constructed and arranged whereby the door may swing outwardly of the door opening and slide along the tracks, means for holding the door against movement when in open position including cooperating latch mechanism carried by the door and car, the sill of the door opening having a series of alined recesses therein, slidable closures for the recesses and a skid plate for loading and unloading the car having blocks on the lower side adjacent one end for selective reception in the recesses, said skid plate being of less width than the door opening whereby the same may be laterally shifted relative to the opening for the support of the outer end thereof on a loading platform or the like.

LUKE SCRIVANICH. 

